2013 Summary!

2013 has come to an end!  And if you remember from our very first post our goal for 2013 was to run one race every month.  If we doubled up one month, we still had to run one the next month.

Unfortunately we didn't hit every month, August and October ended up being very poor and busy.  We were prioritizing and budgeting as Ben likes to call it for the Disneyland Half Marathon in August, and in October was busy with football season and getting ready for #500Strong for homecoming.

We had some awesome memories however!

From our first run at Grassmere Zoo in Nashville for the Zoo Run Run then heading over and grabbing some spiked milkshakes at Burger Republic.

Starting 2013 off Right with the Zoo Run Run at Grassmere!

Then doubling up in February and doing the Royal Family 5K followed by the Princess Half Marathon!

Royal Family 5K at EPCOT

 And, while we didn't know it at the time, we were finishing half the runDisney Coast to Coast Challenge with running the Princess Half Marathon!

Princess Half Marathon in Disney World!

 While i'm not sure if it was the best idea, we certainly tested the limits running in the elements of the 2013 Charlotte Spartan Race

Then making it a family affair in March at the Color Run!

Color Run with the Famliy!

Then we headed to Georgia for the 2nd Annual Party of the Southland Adventure Weekend for Warrior Dash!

PartyOTS Adventure Weekend 2013

We brought a couple newcomers with us for Foam Fest in Nashville.  While it was our least favorite race of the year, the Banderas made it much better!

BANDERAS!

Then we all busted out our #Swag for the first Urban Obstacle Course by Muddy Buddy!

#SWAG

We learned at the Fourth of July 10K that after a 10K, 2 beers is my limit for re-hydration.  3 beers, and I feel terrible.

Sisters at the Fourth of July 10K

Then we missed our first Tennessee home game in 20 years to complete the runDisney Coast to Coast Challenge at the Disneyland Half Marathon!

After just running through the castle

We met some friends from college as they also completed their Coast to Coast Challenge.

The whole crew at the Disneyland Half Marathon!

Then we nearly froze to death at the BoroDash in Murfreesboro on Thanksgiving!

Ben and Jenn at the starting line!

And we finished it off with the Christmas Story 10K virtual Race!

It's a Major Award!

We look forward to repeating some races in 2014, trying some new ones, and continue to run in our drinking shoes!

A Christmas Story 10K - 2013

You'll shoot your eye out!  Fa Ra Ra Ra Ra, official Red Ryder carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifles, Fuuuuuuuuuuudddddddddddddgggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeee!

Everyone loves A Christmas Story.

So when we found out that there's a run outside of Cleveland to support the A Christmas Story Museum we were definitely in.

However, our finances weren't.

Whoever said "running is cheap" hasn't booked hotels, registered for races, driven all over creation for races.  We were tapped out, fortunately for us they had a virtual run.

You sign up for it, they send you all your goodies, and you run it at home.

I signed up for the 10K.  Unfortunately, once it gets cold, if you remember, I don't run anymore.  So I was not near ready for this run.  So I knew to entice me to run, I wouldn't open my "goodie box" that came in the mail until after I had run.

I planned my route, and got out on yet another freezing cold Saturday and began to knock this thing out.

The wind was awful, it snowed part of the way, but I finished it.  AND I got to open my goodie box!

A super awesome T-shirt, complete with leg lamp down the arm, running bib, race certificate, awesome looking medal, and of course, a single packet of Ovaltine...a crummy commercial.

This run wasn't fun, I ran it alone, all alone not even strangers around, but I finished it.

And as we all know from Pinterest....I beat all the people on the couch.

Thanksgiving Day BoroDash 2013

We live in Tennessee.  The South.  God's Country.

Beautiful Tennessee Sunset

With that being said, there should be no reason it is 19 degrees on Thanksgiving.

We signed up for the BoroDash again this year after running it in 2012 and it being an awesome race.  A fast 4 mile race that allows us to have a 3rd piece of my dad's chocolate meringue pie or thirds of my mom's delicious corn bread dressing.

The morning of, Ben said I was down right hateful.  I hate the cold weather.  H-A-T-E IT!  So when we woke up to find temperatures in the teens where it should be in the 50's I wasn't having it.

Then the battle of hating the cold vs hating wasted money began.  We had already paid for the race, so I of course didn't want it to go to waste, but I don't even know how to dress for a cold race since I rarely go outside when it's cold, let alone run in it.

After about 30 minutes of protest, and the guilt I was feeling since no matter what Ben was going to run, I got up and got dressed.

Shoes, Running Socks, Leggings, Sweat Pants, Climalite Long Sleeved Shirt, Hoodie, Gloves and Ear Warmers....and we were off.

Bundled Up and at the Starting Line

It was an absolutely beautiful day, despite the temperatures.  There was no wind, so you'd never know it was only in the teens.  The sun was so warm but I felt like I had dressed perfectly.  I didn't get hot until the very end, pulled my hoodie off and immediately pulled it back on.  It was WAY too cold for that nonsense.

Santa rounding the square in Murfreesboro

As it turns out I actually PR'd this run!  Fastest 5K!  That was exciting!  And we got medals this year which was something we didn't get last year so that was awesome to be able to add that to our growing collection.

As we headed back to the car to head home I had to apologize to Ben for being such a butt all morning and tell him that I felt so much better and was glad he gave me some grief about not wanting to run.

Tennessee Homecoming 2013! #500Strong

Party of the Southland is a group of friends who the majority met in the Pride of the Southland Marching Band at the University of Tennessee.  We have tailgated together for 10 years, and party, run, travel etc together whenever possible.

For the last few years, most of us have not marched homecoming.  For various reasons: live far away, cost, butthurt about days past etc.  After last year me and Ben decided we would march this year.  And we'd convince anyone we could to march with us.  We had no idea what that would turn into.

2 weeks before the deadline to register for homecoming Ben created a Facebook page along with the campaign slogan #500Strong.  He wanted to get 500 alumni to march homecoming.  In 2012, they had roughly 130.  This was going to be a huge task but with the help of basically everyone, I don't know many people who didn't convince at least 1 person to march they almost hit their mark.

469 people.

Yes.  FOUR HUNDRED AND SIXTY NINE!

In 2 weeks!  They used recruiting videos, old rivalries, and training daze to convince people along with just plain peer pressure.

Ben realized that if people had more to come for rather than just a few hours on Saturday they were more likely to come.  So he started planning.  He had a run for those people who wanted to come on Friday morning, a private party Friday night at Saw Works Brewery, and an after game rally point at Central Flats and Taps   Everything went off without a hitch.  To my knowledge everyone had an awesome time, while the game didn't turn out as we had hoped, hopefully that's not what people are remembering from this weekend.

An appearance from the Banditos was of course necessary!

SawWorks Brewery

The FG's at Central Flats and Taps

That Mustache is Working Hard

469 alumni, plus roughly 350 band members = 396 obviously

Party of the Southland Alumni Band

Neyland Thunder

Alumni Flags and Current Flags

Father and Son

The Alumni Band at the March Down to the Stadium

Neyland Thunder

Sterl the Pearl and Ben